Joel Osteen - You Are Good Seed
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I want to talk to you today about You Are Good Seed. Life tries to convince us that we're average. There's nothing special about us. We had too many obstacles, we'll never accomplish our dreams, we've made too many mistakes, we'll never leave our mark. We don't realize who we are. The scripture says: we have the divine nature of God, we are his offspring. That means you have the DNA of Almighty God. In your seed is favor, creativity, courage, new levels. You can't have God's DNA and be average. That seed will override challenges, that seed will propel you where you can't go on your own.
If you're going to reach your potential you have to know - you are good seed. God wouldn't have breathed his life into you, he wouldn't have chosen you before you could choose him, if you didn't have purpose, destiny, greatness. There's something in you that will cause you to leave your mark. You may have made mistakes but that didn't stop the seed. You may have come from negative circumstances, but that doesn't change your seed. Don't let how you were raised, what you didn't get, any dysfunction convince you that you're not up to par, you can't do something great. The environment doesn't change the seed. You can have bad circumstances, but because you're a good seat, you're still going to shine, you're still going to blossom.
A young lady told me how when her mother was pregnant with her, she was addicted to drugs. When she was born she had the same addiction. It seemed like she was at a disadvantage. She was sent from foster home to foster home, all the odds were against her, but today she's successful, she runs her own company, she has helped the children, a great marriage. Why is that? Bad circumstances can't stop a good seed. Can I tell you? You are good seed. God is crowned you with favor. You have royal blood flowing through your veins, you wouldn't be here if you weren't equipped, empowered, and anointed. You may have been raised in an unhealthy environment, by people that had issues, but here's the key: you came through your mother, but you came from Almighty God. Who you come from is more important than who you come through.
The soil may not always be perfect, but because your seed is so good, you will succeed despite the dysfunction. You will prosper despite the economy. You will raise great children despite negative influences. You will overcome the illness despite what the medical report says. All these negative circumstances really, they're just fertilizer - they can't stop your seed. The stinky stuff, the bad breaks, the people that walked away - we don't like it, but it didn't stop your destiny, it's simply fertilize your seed. It made you stronger, more confident. And don't complain about the fertilizer, you need fertilizer to boost you grow.
We have some flower beds at home, and a couple of times a year we put mulch in them. One of the main ingredients of mulch is manure. It smell so badly, you could hardly stay outside, but in a couple of months the smell is gone and the plants are blooming, blossoming, seeing new growth. The fertilizer as stinky as it smells, it's providing valuable nutrients and minerals for the plants. Sometimes life stinks, we go through things that are not fair. We came down with an illness, our child is struggling, the business is slow. We think these negative circumstances are going to stop us. Have a new perspective: it's fertilizer. It stinks, but it's not working against you, it's working for you. God is going to take what was meant for your harm and turn it to your advantage. It was meant to stop you, but if you keep believing, keep thanking God, keep doing the right thing, you're going to come out stronger, healthier, better than you were before.
Don't sweat the stinky stuff. We all have fertilizer: that co-worker who gets on your nerves, always trying to stir up trouble. Next time you see them, instead of being frustrated, under your breath "You're just fertilizer. You're trying to push me down, you don't realize, I'm good seed, I have the DNA of Almighty God". What he's destined for you no person can stop. What God has put in your seed, that greatness, that purpose, no sickness, no addiction, no trouble, all the forces of darkness cannot keep your seed from flourishing.
Just as Joseph, betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, put in prison - one bad break after another. He could have been depressed, "God, you said I'd be in leadership, I must've heard you wrong". He understood this principle that bad circumstances cannot stop good seed, that negative situations are simply fertilizer. They're necessary so you can bloom. When his brother's betrayed him, instead of trying to get even, his attitude was "They just fertilize me". When Potiphar's wife falsely accused him, "I'm not worried, more fertilizer". One day unexpectedly the Pharaoh called for Joseph. He went to the palace, he ended up making Joseph the prime minister of Egypt.
When you understand that you are good to seed, that what God promised will come to pass, then you won't complain about the fertilizer. The fertilizer is necessary. Yes it stinks, yes it's uncomfortable, but it's making that seed stronger, it's developing your character, it's giving you endurance, it's getting you prepared to blossom, in position to see the greatness of our God.
I talked to a man that was so upset because his boss was against him, always trying to make him look bad. I told him what I'm telling you: it's fertilizer. Stay on the high road and God will not only do all work in you, but he'll take care of your enemies. It may stink right now, but don't worry, fertilizer stinks, that means you're about to see new growth. He got his passion back and went to the office, being his best, taken the high road, working under God not under men. Several occasions he should have been promoted, but because of this unfair boss he was passed over.
One day the CEO of the whole company was in town, and this man had to give a report. The CEO was very impressed with his work. About a year later a position came available that should have gone to his boss, but this CEO skipped over the boss and went straight to this man and offered the position to him. Now, instead of having to work for that boss was hard to get along with, the tables have turned. The boss is working for him. One touch of God's favor and you'll go from the back to the front, from the prison to the palace.
"Well, Joel, I've got a lot of fertilizer only. I have a lot coming against me". That tells me, you're about to blossom in an amazing way. You wouldn't have that difficulty, you wouldn't have all the fertilizer if God wasn't about to do something awesome in your life.
I was out of my driveway the other day, I sow this weed growing up in the middle of the concrete. I thought: how is that possible? The concrete is hard, there's no good soil, the conditions are totally unfavorable. But when God wants your seed to come up, concrete can't stop it, bad breaks can't stop it. The life God put in you is more powerful than any forced this trying to hold you back. Think about a little seed even planted in the ground, the dirt that's on top of it is hundreds of times heavier. People can walk on top of the dirt, push it down, compacted, make it harder. The seed doesn't look like it has a chance.
The dirt could say "Too bad, you're done, you'll never overpower me, I'm bigger, stronger, heavier". But the seed doesn't worry. The seed doesn't start complaining, "I thought I was supposed to grow, I thought I was going to be a beautiful flower, I guess it wasn't meant to be". No, the seed just rest in what God created it to be. The seed doesn't have to do the work, it lets the life put in it by its Creator do the work. Before long that little seed opens up, and against all odds it begins to push back the dirt. Over time it's standing above the ground with beautiful flowers shining brightly.
You may have some dirt on you now, don't worry you are good seed. What God put in you is more powerful than what's trying to stop you. Like that little seed, you don't have to make it happen, try to manipulate things, force it to work, live stressed out. No, you can, rest knowing that the seed is going to do the work.
The scripture (Jeremiah 1:12) says, "God watches over his word to perform it". His word is called seed. In the same way God is watching over your seed, he's making sure of what he put in you it's going to come to pass. Good seed is not stopped by bad circumstances, good seed is not stopped by opposition. In life you'll have some dirt put on you, at times it feels like you're buried, you'll never get past the sickness, this trouble, this addiction. It's dark, you feel pressure all around, you don't see a way out. The good news is: you're not buried, you are planted. The difference is: when you are buried you're done, but when you planted your coming up again stronger, healthier, more successful.
But here's the key: being planted feels the same as being buried. It's dark, it's uncomfortable, we don't see anything good, there's pressure. If you judge things too soon, you'll get discouraged, give up on your dreams, think it will never work out. God has you hearing this to let you know: you're not buried, you planted. Yes, it's uncomfortable. Yes, you don't understand it. But this is not the end, the seed God put in you is about to spring forth. The dreams, the health, the freedom, the abundance, the right people. Don't be discouraged by the dirt, the seed is designed to push back the dirt, it's designed to outlast the opposition. The seed will not fail, the life of Almighty God is in that seed.
My grandfather was a great gardener. He loved to plant things, he knew how to grow all kinds of fruits, vegetables, flowers. One thing that made him so good at gardening is: he knew when to plant, he knew there was a specific time to plant tomatoes, a specific time to plant roses. Just because he had good seed, if he didn't plan it at the right time, it wouldn't become what it should. He didn't just randomly plan whenever he felt like it, he did it strategically. He made sure it was the right season and all the conditions were in place, so the seed could grow.
Jesus said in John 15:1 that God is the gardener. He knew exactly when to plane you. You could have been born 300 years ago, you could have lived 200 years from now. You didn't just happen to show up on planet earth today, your parents just decided to have a baby. God knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. When God as the master gardener thought about when to plant you, he didn't just randomly do it, just pick a date, pick any time - God is strategic. Like my grandfather knew there was a specific time to plant, God looked down through the ages of time, he studied what would be going on, what the economy would be like, the culture, the technology, the opposition. He took into account everything we would face, then he put his DNA in us, he matched us with this season we would live in.
The scripture says in Acts 17: God pre-determined when you would be born, where you would be born, and what tribe, what family you would come from. Before your parents ever breed the breath, before they ever showed up, God already knew you and chose when you would live. He planted you for this time, this is your moment. You've been equipped and empowered. He put his anointing on your life, his favor. You have the talent, the courage, the connections. Everything has been strategically thought out: you're not lacking, the obstacles you faced or not too much for you. If you couldn't handle it, God would not planted you now. If the giants were too big you wouldn't be here. If the dream wasn't attainable you wouldn't have breath.
You are here for such a time as this. God knew there would be a pandemic, he knew there'd be people trying to stop you, he knew about that illness you'd have to face, the opposition that looks to big. The fact that he planted you now tells me: the conditions are right for you to succeed, the conditions are right for you to leave your mark. The circumstances may not be good, but God wouldn't have planted you at this time if the soil wasn't conducive for your seed to grow. Sometimes the soil may feel like concrete, but you have to remind yourself: you're still going to blossom, you're still going to flourish. Why? You are good seed. You've been strategically planted by the master gardener. You're not like a weed, you just randomly popped up, randomly got here with no purpose. No, your destiny has been carefully planned. When you understand that you been chosen for this time, it will give you a greater confidence.
God could have chosen David to live now. He could have chosen Abraham, Sarah, Ruth but when he strategized аbout: who will be the right people for the year 2020? Who can I trust in that difficult time? Who has the courage, the talent the fortitude to carry out my will, to do awesome things? He passed over all the saints of old, he looked beyond Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Mary, Martha, and he looked into your eyes, he said "That's who I can count on. That's the right one for this hour". He didn't just send you here on your own, he put his DNA in you. He equipped you with what you need to succeed at this time.
You may not have what Moses had, but you don't need what he had. God planted you now because this is the right time for you to flourish, to blossom, to accomplish dreams, to overcome obstacles, to leave your mark. Even in the natural, do you know what a miracle it is that you were conceived? When your seed was trying to connect with your mother's egg, there were 250000000 sperm fighting for that one spot. What are the chances that you would win? You're not an accident. When it was your time, God said "All right, I'm going to plant them now". That's why you could fight all 250000000 and your seed connected, you entered that womb. God destined you to be here.
Before you showed up you defied the odds, before you were born you defeated giants. You already an overcomer, you're already victorious, you were born with favor. Without God's blessing you would have never made it into this world. Here's my point: God wouldn't have gone to all that trouble if you were average, he wouldn't have carefully and strategically planned out your destiny, if you were just supposed to drift through life, overcome by problems, struggle to make it. He chose you because you are good seed. You have greatness in you. You are destined to take your family to a new level.
After all God has done, hand picked you for this time, put his DNA in you, crown you with his favor, don't you dare go through life thinking you're ordinary: "I can overcome this challenge, I'll never get well, I've reached my limits". God wouldn't have planted you now if that was going to stop you. He knew what the economy would be, he knew the struggles, the opposition. The fact that he planted you is a sure sign: you are well able to overcome, well able to raise those children, well able to beat that cancer, well able to accomplish your dreams.
Jeremiah 17:8 said, "You will be like a tree planted by the water, a tree not bothered by the heat or long months of drought. Your leaves will stay green and they will keep on producing luscious fruit". Good seed is not affected by the drought. Good seed keeps on producing even in famine. Good seed outlast the opposition. Good seed accomplish his dreams bigger than you imagine. I know today I am looking at good seed, I'm looking at people that have been handpicked by the Creator of the universe. I'm looking at people that have greatness in them. Great parents, great students, great leaders. People that have great influence, great wisdom, great opportunities. I'm looking at people that are healthy, free, redeemed, restored, victorious.
"Well, Joel, this sounds good, but I've made a lot of mistakes. That's why I'm down on myself". That didn't change your seed. You are still good seed. Abraham is the father of our faith, he was a great man, no disrespect, but Abraham lied, told the king that Sarah is his sister and not his wife. Abraham had a baby out of wedlock. He wasn't perfect, he'd made mistakes, but the scripture says "Abraham did not waver in his faith". Lying seems like wavering to me. Having a baby with someone other than your wife seems like wavering.
But God doesn't judge the way we judge. We look at our faults, or weaknesses, the times we fail. We let the accuser fill our minds with condemnation, "I'm not good seed, look at the mistakes I've made. I'm not good seed, I went through a divorce, my business fail, I'm struggling with an addiction". Do you think you can do something that would change the seed God put in you? That you can override what he breathed into your DNA? You're not that powerful. You can't change what God has already done. He's saying to you what he said to Jeremiah "I knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb, and I approved you. Before Jeremiah did anything good, before he showed up on planet earth, God said "I approved you".
Too often we're trying to work for God's approval, to be good enough, strong enough, disciplined enough. The problem is: we all fail, we all make mistakes. But that doesn't change what God put in you: you are still good seed, you can still fulfill your destiny, you could still become who you were created to be. Don't let the accuser convince you that you've blown it too many times, "You don't measure up, God will never be please with you". God is saying to you today "I've approved you, my hand to favor is on you, I have forgiveness for your mistakes, mercy for your failures, favor for your future".
I wonder what would happen if every day you would start saying, "I am a good seed". When the accuser whispers "You're a hypocrite, look at your mistakes". Say it again, "Father, thank you that I am good seed. That you have mercy for my mistakes. That what you started in my life you will finish". Good seed will override mistakes you've made. Good seed overrides failures, times you didn't measure up. You've been planted at this time not only because God believes in you, but he's equipped you. You are full of can-do power.
The forces that are for you are greater than forces that are trying to stop you. God is breeding in your direction right now. Chains that have held you back are being broken. New doors of opportunity are about to open. God is about to show you a sign of his favor, he's going to do something unusual, out of the ordinary, something that's never happened in your family, it's going to defy the odds. Get ready, the greatness God put in you is about to come out. He doesn't have you here just to take up space, there's an assignment for you to accomplish, something that only you can do. Without you stepping into your purpose, this world will not be what it should be.
There was a young Jewish lady in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan, she lost both of her parents, raised in poverty. She had all these bad brakes, looked like she was at a disadvantage, she would never do anything great. But bad circumstances can't stop good seed. What didn't work out, how you were raised, who left you, the illness - that didn't stop your destiny, that doesn't mean you'll never leave your mark. Why? Because you are a good seed. The Most High God breathed his life into you. You're still going to flourish, you're still going to meet someone great, you're still going to live healthy and whole, you're still going to start that business.
The king of Persia decided to have a beauty pageant so he could find a wife. Someone invited Esther to enter, out of the thousands of girls in the Persian empire, Esther was chosen as the queen, the least likely one. A man named Haman, one of the king's advisers came up with a plan to get rid of all the Jews. The king didn't know that Esther was Jewish. When her uncle heard about it, he said "You have to talk to the king, tell him about this plan". She said, "I can't go in without the king holding up his scepter, I could lose my life". Her uncle said, "If you remain silent, help with the Jews will come from someone else, but who knows that you were brought to this position for such a time as this". He was saying, "Esther, this is what you were born for. This is your time to shine".
Easter got the courage up, went in to see the king, she ended up saving the people of Israel. Who would have thought God would have used this young girl, someone that was seen as insignificant. Yeah, we're talking about her is one of the heroes of faith. All the odds were against her, but bad circumstances can't stop good seed.
Can I tell you again: you are good seed. You don't know the amazing things God has in store for you. Why don't you start seeing yourself the right way? Stop to focus on what you don't have, how big the obstacles are, the mistakes you've made - start focusing on the fact that you're a person of destiny, the Creator of the universe handpicked you for this particular time - it's your time to shine, it's your time to step into new levels. You may feel like you've been buried, have a new perspective: you're planted. You're about to spring back up healthier, stronger, better than you were before. I believe and declare: greatness is about to come out of you, talent that you didn't know you have, problems are about to turn around, healing is coming, freedom, breakthroughs, opportunities, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name.